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General discussion

Maxent 42" Widescreen HD-Ready Plasma TV

Jun 2, 2005 5:54AM PDT

Recently, while reviewing Best Buys website, I noticed a deal too good to be true. They were selling the following sets at unbelievable prices:

Westinghouse 37" Widescreen HD-Ready Flat-Panel LCD TV with 1080p Display - Silver LVM-37W1 @ $2299
Maxent 42" Widescreen HD-Ready Plasma TV with DVI and Component Video Inputs MX-42XM11 Silver @ $1999

Why are these sets selling at such low prices? Do you have any information on either of these sets? Which set is better? I appreciate any guidance you can give me.

Discussion is locked

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Maxent?
Jun 4, 2005 3:34PM PDT

Hi Skrief,
I'm not a bigtime videophile...so take my advice with a grain of salt. But I'd be hesitant to buy anything from Maxent (who I've never heard of) or Westinghouse (which I don't even trust with toasters). Not to say they both aren't excellent, which they could be. Hell...I'm so out of touch they could be the best.

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I purchased the Maxent 42" HD plasma, no regrets...
Jun 17, 2005 12:35AM PDT

I purchased the Maxent 42" HD (MX-42XM11) from BestBuy two weeks ago (June 1, 2005). It was offered to me for $1900 because the ED Maxent was sold out. Additionally, I used a coupon from Papa Johns (still good until the end of June 2005) for 10% off HD TVs from BestBuy. That put the price at a little above $1700. You would be hard pressed to find an ED 42" plasma for that price. Now to comments on the TV:

1. I noticed at BestBuy that they don't push the Maxent. Actually they try to talk you out of it. Saying that they only have good, better, and best, and that the Maxent is only "good". I also noticed that the picture quality of the Maxent at the store wasn't as good as the other plasmas, but when I got it home and plugged in Time Warner's ony true 1080 HD channel (Discovery HD theater), the picture actually made my jaw drop. It was a show about glaciers and it was like being there. Other shows on that channel are equally impressive. So the picture quality was actually as good if not a little better than some of the other plasmas in the store.

2. A little more about channels. This isn't a knock on the TV, it's more about the lack of HD channels. This TV can show true 1080, 720 and 480. 95% of the channels available are still in the old format, a couple do 720 and only Discovery does 1080 (at the current time). So even though you have this really cool HD plasma, about the only channels it truly looks great on are the 720 and 1080 channels. DVD's don't even look as good as either 720 or 1080 channels.

3. The TV gets hot. I mean too hot to touch on the top of it. Due to this heat, it makes the room hotter. I had to adjust my air in attempts to compensate. I don't know if this is specific to Maxent, or just to 42" plasmas in general.

4. If your worried about the lack of brand name recognition, purchase the 4 year service plan. It cost $300. So add that to the purchase price and you are still getting an HD plasma for the price of an ED.

5. The TV, when compared to others, has a low contrast ratio (1000:1). So the picture may not be as sharp as on other units. But I upgraded from a GE 27" non-flat screen CRT. Guess it's all a matter of perspective. Granted the Maxent isn't as nice as the LG and Pioneer plasmas, but it sure beats the hell out of my ol' GE.

6. The universal remote from Time Warner doesn't have a set-up code for Maxent TVs.

7. Due to the number of inputs for the TV, you have to either cycle through them all with the input button, or select the one you want from really little buttons on a conceled bottom portion of the TV remote.

8. When changing the channel from a normal 480 channel to an HD channel, the TV has to go through some type of transition where there is no picture for anywhere from 4-16 seconds. I don't know if that is the TV or the Time Warner box.

That's about all I can think of for now. Also, if you buy it and don't like it, you have a month to take it back.

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(NT) Screen stretching?
Jun 20, 2005 3:21PM PDT

Hi Go-fish,
I was interested in the maxent myself and I was wondering if you could answer a question for me. My Sister and brother-in-law bought a widescreen tv and it looks great with media that is enhanced for 16:9 but media that is in the standard tv ratio (5:4?)is stretched to fit the screen and it gives the picture a funhouse mirror quality. Any problems like that on the maxent or is it something that is inherent in all widescreen televisions?

Thanks,
Bret

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Just bought it.
Aug 4, 2005 12:20AM PDT

<i>4. If your worried about the lack of brand name recognition, purchase the 4 year service plan. It cost $300. So add that to the purchase price and you are still getting an HD plasma for the price of an ED.</i>


That's exactly what I did.

I just bought this plasma from Best Buy (unfortunately they're sold out, and I'll probably have to wait a couple of weeks for stock and delivery). But the deal was too good to be true.

First the screen: Since I'm mostly going to watch DVDs, I was debating whehter to go with HDTV or save $500 and just get the EDTV unit. Well, I got a chance to see the EDTV Maxent and the HDTV Maxent side by side and my decision was made for me. The HDTV unit's picture clarity blows the EDTV one out of the water. And it's a really nice picture! Sure, it's not going to make you forget a $3500 Panasonic display, but when receiving HD broadcasts the picture is sharp as a razor with real good color definition.

Now, I too was worried about the no-name brand Maxent, but I purchased the $299 four year at home service contract from Best Buy, and I've got peace of mind for the next 4 years! And after that I can renew, or just wait for the unit to go bad and replace it with whatever the new technology is then. Let's face it: no one keeps their TV for 15 years any more.

Best of all was the financing deal I got. The salesguy gave me a 24 month, 0% interest financing deal. Holy cow! I can pay this thing off just by paying the monthly minimum $60.00. If you're interested in this you should definitely see if you can get that kind of deal, too.

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problem solved I think
Jun 23, 2005 6:31AM PDT

I just bought a Sony kp-65wv600 thats a huge 65" 16x9 set for only $2500 and the picture actually looks better than the d.l.p and lc.d., and plasma sets also if the tubes ever go bad they only cost $200.00 each if your plasma goes bad you might as well throw it in the garbage can but whatever kind of t.v. you buy make sure you hook up your d.v.d player and hi-def satillate or cable with a d.v.i. or hdmi interface cable even if you only 1 d.v.i input on your t.v. then use a giffen d.v.i switcher the picture on your hi-def tuiner and d.v.d player will be stunning please reply I just joined this chat group its a lot of fun I have posted under stewart norrie or cadillacstew@aol.com

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hmm westinghouse 47" wait for it!
Jul 2, 2005 9:03PM PDT

i think the problem with hd today is that nobody really knows what is going on....it took me a while to wade thorough and understand but basically you are all buying old technology that you won't even want in a year when the 1080p comes out for real....westinghouse is already doing it too but only in a 37".....lcd is the sweetness wait for the westinghouse 47" it should be around soon....westinghouse is a very big company and they are trying to take the market they are going to try and offer the best technology at the best price and gain some customers as of right now (sort of like honda did with cars in the 80's(get it?)) anyways these tvs have the 1080p ability when you said your tv is capable of full 1080p i'm pretty sure its only capable of 1080i...which is basically a big waste of money because big *** tvs have been around forever and thats what you bought really old technology but then again the whole industry has gone to extreme measures to try and trick the idiotic public as a whole anyways checkout the westinghouse...really do your homework and have a little patience

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Installing TV to Surround sound receiver
Aug 6, 2005 2:53AM PDT

My girlfriend just purchased the Maxent 42" TV however she cannot find the instruction manual. I've been trying to connedt the TV to the receiver so that the sound plays through the surround system wired in the room. The radio signal can be heard through the system. But I'm having a problem figuring out how to attach the TV to so the same thing. Can you assist me in the connection of the tv to the receiver so that the sound is heard through the surround speakers.

Sincerely,
Sol.

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Here is the help..
Aug 11, 2005 1:02PM PDT